An international artist in residence for artists of all disciplines

The Saari Residence, maintained by Kone Foundation, is a residence located in Mynämäki, Southwest Finland, for artists of all disciplines and nationalities. At the Saari Residence, artists and researchers can focus on their work in a peaceful rural environment and share their thoughts and experiences with colleagues. The residence’s long-term activities and thinking are underpinned by an ecological approach, which also covers social and psychological sustainability. Its keywords are slowness, insight and change.

Our next annual open call is from 1 March to 31 March, 2024 at 4 p.m. Finnish time (EEST, GMT +3). The open call in March 2024 is for residency places in 2025.

For residency applicants

The Saari residencies are intended for individual professional artists, fiction writers, poets, novelists, translators, composers, curators and critics, as well as artistic collectives of all disciplines and nationalities. The two-month artist residencies take place between September and April.

Read how to apply for residency

For Saari residents

The Residence’s versatile workspaces and the historical and scenic surroundings of the old manor house offer an excellent opportunity to focus undisturbed on creative work as well as opportunities for interaction with other residents.

Check out the instructions for our residents

Listen to our new podcast series Reviving the Wild

Saari Residence’s new podcast Reviving the Wild is about returning to our roots to restore nature and ourselves. We hope the series will offer new ideas for connecting better with the non-human world around us.

Listen to the podcast series

Artist Hugo Llanes focuses on questions relating to the theme of food.

Residency guests

Previous artists and researchers at Saari Residence

For each two-month residency period, diversity is emphasized: both Finnish and foreign and young and more experienced artists are chosen as well as artists representing different art forms.

Read more about previous residency artists

About Saari Residence

The Saari Residence launched its operations in 2008. The residence provides a place and context for finding and sharing sustainable working methods and for eliminating structural inequalities that make artists’ work more difficult. The goal is to be a forerunner in sustainable operating models within the international residency sector.

Read more about our operations, history and co-operation

Ecologically sustainable residency programme

The Saari Residence’s activities are guided by ecological sustainability, which also encompasses social and psychological sustainability. Through various study groups, discussions and workshops, we offer Saari residents the opportunity to contemplate ecological issues and make it part of their work and way of thinking.

Read more about our ecological sustainability